Wendi Schneider: States of Grace

Project Statement:

In States of Grace, I illuminate beauty amidst the chaos. I’m calmed by the simplicity of a graceful line and the stillness of the suspended moment and am compelled to share an impression of the serenity I find there. I capture the ephemeral movement of light on organic forms, to preserve that mystical moment that stills time for me. Photographing intuitively - what I feel, as much as what I see - and informed by a background in painting and art history, I portray a personal interpretation by layering the images digitally with color and texture, to find balance between the real and the imagined.

The images are printed digitally with archival pigment ink on vellum. White gold, silver or 24k gold leaf is then applied behind the image, creating a silken luminosity on the print's surface. Throughout history, civilizations have prized the use of precious metals for their beauty and sanctity. The leafing process suffuses the intrinsic value of the treasured subjects with the implied spirituality of the gold. The perception of luminosity varies as the viewer’s position and ambient light change. Within the limited edition, the prints may differ in color or texture, and, as the effect of gilding inherently varies, each of the limited edition prints is unique.

Artist Bio:

Wendi Schneider’s photographs illuminate a reverence for nature. Born in Memphis, she studied art history at Stephens and painting at Newcomb, turning to photography in the ‘80s to capture models to reference for paintings. Missing the sensuality of oils, she layered glazes to create a personal interpretation. After designing and photographing the re-creation of the 1901 Picayune’s Creole Cook Book, she moved to NYC, where she photographed nearly 100 book covers and was a major contributor to Victoria Magazine. She moved to Denver in ’94, and after years of photography, design and art direction, she returned to fine art. Gilded vellums from her States of Grace series have been exhibited in solo shows at the Griffin Museum of Photography in Winchester, MA and Galeria Photo/Graphic in San Miguel de Allende, and in group exhibits in more than 60 venues including A Gallery For Fine Photography, Panopticon Gallery, and the Berlin Foto Biennale. Her work has been featured in Diffusion, Lenscratch, B&W Magazine, Silvershotz, and Don't Take Pictures. A Critical Mass finalist in 2017, Schneider has been honored by the International Photography Awards, the International Color Awards, and the Spider Awards. She is represented by A Gallery For Fine Photography.